Not the Real Jim Ardis
Peoria, Illinois Mayor Jim Ardis (Republican, of course) was angry. Rightfully so. Some guy, a Jon Daniel, had created a Twitter account that had Jim Ardis's picture on it, his name, it was even @peoriamayor14. The guy writing it was also saying all kinds of liberal stuff—which is NOT Jim Ardis's Republican Party line. At all. Also, Jon Daniel continually tweeted things about drugs and prostitutes and Mayor Jim Ardis. Mayor Ardis felt this was libelous. He feared that Mr. Daniel was impersonating a public official. He felt Mr. Daniel needed to be arrested. He, like many Republicans, doesn't actually understand what free speech is. Don't worry, Mayor Ardis just cost Peoria taxpayers more than
$125 thousand dollars!
Plaintiff Jon Daniel, the operator of the @peoriamayor handle, was initially accused last year of impersonating a public official in violation of Illinois law. However, the 30-year-old was never charged. His arrest was kicked off after the local mayor, Jim Ardis, was concerned that the tweets in that account falsely portrayed him as a drug abuser who associates with prostitutes. One tweet Ardis was concerned about said, "Who stole my crackpipe?"
As part of the agreement, (PDF) which includes legal fees, his attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union said Peoria will publish a "directive" to the police department making it clear that Illinois law criminalizing impersonation of a public official does not include parody and satire.
The real joke here is on anyone who ever votes Republican. Get it? If you don't, the joke's on you!